PhD students from outside of the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs may pursue a Doctoral Certificate in Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy. The certificate program allows PhD candidates to broaden their education to include SPIA courses and an advanced policy research project, typically related to their thesis, that draws on the policy-relevant social sciences.
PhD candidates interested in environmental policy topics may apply for the HMEI-STEP Fellowship, which provides additional structure and funding support to pursue a STEP certificate. However, PhD candidates who are not part of this fellowship program may also pursue the certificate. The PhD certificate requirements (listed below) are the same with or without a fellowship.
Requirements for Doctoral Certificate in Science, Technology and Environmental Policy (STEP)
Coursework:
PhD candidates pursuing the certificate are required to complete three (3) graduate-level courses in the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs. Doctoral students must take at least one course in each of the following categories:
- One SPIA STEP-approved science and technology policy course (see below for approved course list)
- One SPIA graduate course that is NOT a STEP-approved course, to encourage students to develop general knowledge in public policy topics. Please search the Princeton Course Catalog for a full course listing.
- An elective (any SPIA graduate-level course)
All courses must be taken for academic credit prior to a student entering DCE status. Two half-semester courses equal one full course toward the requirement.
Faculty Advising:
All students applying for a certificate must identify a STEP faculty member (who cannot be the student’s primary thesis adviser) to serve as their adviser for the program. (Non-SPIA faculty who are affiliated with C-PREE or CITP may, with permission of the STEP Certificate Director, serve as an adviser.)
Advanced Policy Paper:
PhD candidates must also meet the advanced policy paper requirement. Students should work with their STEP faculty advisor to ensure the paper satisfies these requirements. This paper must represent original scholarly work, deemed of publishable quality (i.e. in a peer-reviewed or equivalent publication) and is often developed as a chapter of the student’s dissertation. Candidates must also fulfill the requirements of their home department.
Enrollment:
Students interested in obtaining the STEP certificate should complete the Certificate Declaration form online and reach out to the Certificate Director to discuss course selection and advising.
HMEI-STEP Fellowship
The HMEI-STEP Fellows are Princeton PhD candidates in departments outside of the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, often (but not exclusively) from science and engineering departments. Fellows are usually selected in their second or third year.
Awarded students receive half support (tuition and stipend) from the High Meadows Environmental Institute (HMEI) for two years and participate in the Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy (STEP) program at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs (SPI). HMEI-STEP Fellows also receive a $3,500 award to support their graduate research. Please visit the following link for more information and to access the application:
STEP Certificate Director

2023-2024 STEP Approved Classes
Fall 2023
- SPI 405: The Global Food, Forest, Biodiversity and Climate Challenge, Tim Searchinger
- SPI 527c: Public Management in the Digital Technology Age, Steven Strauss
- SPI 581c: Energy Economics, Amy Craft
- SPI 591d: Policy Workshop: Financing Renewable Energy in Puerto Rico, Eduardo Bhatia
- SPI 591g: Satellite Imagery for Policymaking, People & the Planet [Session II], Alex Glaser
- SPI 593n: GIS for Public Policy [Session II], Tsering Shawa, William Guthe
- SPI 594f: Environmental Justice and Policy [Session I], Ramon Cruz
Spring 2024
- SPI 548: Weapons of Mass Destruction and International Security, Chris Chyba
- SPI 582b: Topics in Econ: The Economics of Climate Change Policy, Allan Hsiao
- SPI 586a: Topics in STEP: Machine Learning for Policy Analysis, Brandon Stewart
- SPI 586d: Global Environmental Governance (PU/NYU), Michael Oppenheimer
- SPI 586(TBD): Topics in STEP (TBD), Eric Tate
- SPIA 586(TBD): Topics in STEP: Artificial Intelligence and Public Policy, Korolova
- SPI 594r: Role of Behavioral Science in Environmental Policy [Session II], Elke Weber
- SPI 594s: Climate Change: Science, Policy and Mitigation [Session I], Denise Mauzerall
- SPI 594u: Data Privacy in the US and Europe: A Comparative Perspective [Session II], Helena Kastlova
- SPI 594(TBD): Energy, Environment, Development & Justice, M.V. Ramana
- ENE 522/MAE 533: Introduction to the Electricity Sector-Engineering, Economics, and Regulation, Jesse Jenkins
- Rutgers University: Climate Change Risk Analysis (16:107:572 / 16:218:602 / 34:970:655), Robert Kopp & Enrique Curchitser
2022-2023 STEP Approved Courses
Fall 2022
- SPI 527c: Public Management in the Digital Technology Age, Steven Strauss
- SPI 581c: Energy Economics, Amy Craft
- SPI 586f: Topics in STEP: Technology Policy and Law, Jonathan Mayer
- SPI 591d: Policy Workshop: Puerto Rico's Renewable Energy Mandates, Eduardo Bhatia
- SPI 591h: Policy Workshop: Urban Policy in Accra, Ghana, Devanne Brookins
- SPI 593g: Bridging the Digital Divide: Technology and Policy [Session I], Tithi Chattopadhyay, Mihir Kshirsagar
- SPI 593m: Machine Learning for Policy Decisions [Session II], Filiz Garip
- SPI 593n: GIS for Public Policy [Session II], Tsering Shawa, William Guthe
- *ENV 343 / CEE 343 / SAS 343: Inequality and Sustainability in India and USA: An Interdisciplinary Global Perspective, Anu Ramaswami (*approval required for level)
Spring 2023
- SPI 405: The Global Food, Forest, Biodiversity and Climate Challenge, Tim Searchinger
- SPI 582b: Topics in Econ: The Economics of Climate Change Policy, Allan Hsiao
- SPI 586a: Topics in STEP: International Law & Geopolitics in an Era of Climate Disruption, Karen Sokol
- SPI 586d: Global Environmental Governance (PU/NYU), Michael Oppenheimer
- SPI 594s: Climate Change: Science, Policy and Mitigation [Session I], Denise Mauzerall
- SPI 594u: Data Privacy in the US and Europe: A Comparative Perspective [Session II], Helena Kastlova
- CEE 401 / ENV 401: Zero-Carbon, Healthy and Equitable Cities: Analysis of Infrastructure Transitions, Anu Ramaswami
- ENE 522/MAE 533: Introduction to the Electricity Sector-Engineering, Economics, and Regulation, Jesse Jenkins
- POL 586 / ENV 566: Climate Change & Conflict, Ethan Kapstein and Kristopher Ramsay
- Rutgers University: Climate Change Risk Analysis (16:107:572 / 16:218:602 / 34:970:655), Robert Kopp & Enrique Curchitser